The VC, Prof. Mumo Kisau speaks at our 54th graduation ceremony

July 5, 2019 | 5:02 pm

VC, Prof. Mumo Kisau speaking at SCU 54th graduation ceremony

Eminent guests, graduands and families, colleagues and friends of Scott Christian University, I welcome you all to this 54thgraduation ceremony. We are here today to acknowledge the great work our graduands have done, to honour them with warm congratulations, and to send them out on their way to the next steps in their lives with the blessings and good wishes of this distinguished University.

Scott Christian University is a Christian institution of higher learning with students and faculty from all the 47 counties in Kenya and beyond. Our mission is to prepare, equip and mentor our graduands to attain holistic education and be able to research and engage in Christian service.

As a university, we continue to make deliberate choices to integrate faith and learning and to offer quality education through the genuine commitment and willingness among our teaching faculty who have made great sacrifices in offering extra ordinary service to our graduands, and with this, I salute you all for a good job, well done.

Today, we have 89 students graduating from this great university. They all carry the distinctive Scott Christian University mark of dedication and excellence. Our graduands have benefitted from the wide range of academic programs including postgraduate degrees, undergraduate, diplomas and certificates. I congratulate our graduands, each one of you is here today through your own sustained hard work. You have exhibited courage in facing the challenges of university learning. You have shown needed discipline to develop certain qualities of character and attitudes to achieve this. These qualities include rigour, the capacity to think independently, to listen politely, and, to display Christian maturity. With these qualities, Scott Christian University has empowered you to seek out new opportunities with the confidence that you can contribute, with the knowledge that you already have. That is the power of university education.

Currently, we have 16 academic programs which include Six Masters’ Degree, 10- Undergraduate, 11-Diploma and Seven Certificate. This is a great increase from 2012 when the university was offering only Four Programs. We owe our success to God for these carefully designed and taught programs which are supported by quality facilities and qualified faculty to guarantee that the vision of Scott Christian University ‘to nurture student dreams and empower them with choice education’ is realized. Scott Christian University offers academic courses that are approved and accredited by the Commission for University Education and other government regulators. Our graduands therefore continue to offer distinct service in their areas of calling. One of the best things that Scott Christian University has done is to train and mentor our graduands to gain the right hands-on skills for the industry and to display required competence and discipline the employer wants.

As we are gathered here, the university has send over 100 students to their field attachment/ internship in the best schools, industries and institutions in Machakos County and beyond. This has been possible because of the great partnerships the university has with the industry as well as the quality of our teaching and learning. I have been called several times by School Principals, Hotel managers and Bishops from different churches to tell me how happy and blessed they are to have our students do their attachment and practicum in their institutions. I tell you, this has made me know that our graduands have a bright future ahead.

As a leading Christian University, Scott Christian University is proud of its academic excellence and the contributions it has made to the society. Even before our students graduate, the job market has already located them. I want to share with you a few examples here, Mr. Adebayo David is among the graduands who has flown all the way from the USA where he is working to come over and graduate. I was very blessed to hear the testimony Adebayo has about Scott Christian University. In fact, he has demonstrated this love by donating to this great university four laptops for continued academic excellence. Let me thank you, Mr. Adebayo for this gesture and wish you well in all your work and future academic growth.

We also have with us today, Lilian Mwove, who is already working at South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU) as an Accountant, Florence Mutawali, graduating with a Masters degree in Education who is the Principal of Kibirigwi Girls in Kirinyaga County, Mr. David Mbaluka graduating with Bachelor’s degree in Education, working in the prestigious Lukenya Schools, Joshua Mwonga, Mr. Joseph Muli and Madam Cecilia Sereka who are all leaders at the Machakos County. The list is very long, and I challenge both prospecting students and their parents and guardians to consider training with Scott Christian University to gain the knowledge that will make a difference in their lives, communities and world at large.

Apart from intellectual thirst being quenched here, Scott Christian University has initiated programs and activities that help students to discover their potentials and nurture their talents. Our students continue to shine in athletics, sports and games. I am proud to tell you that our students have flowed many of other universities. And for this matter, I want to applaud them for a good job well done.

Because of our quality in education, and holistic approach to student growth and development, we have continued to train government sponsored students in the fields of education, ICT, Business studies, Counselling Psychology, Tourisms and Hotel Management and Agribusiness among other disciplines. This September, we expect to admit over 200 students into the university. This now tells you that Scott Christian University, just like what His Excellence the Governor of Machakos, Dr. Alfred Mutua believes in, is the place to be.

Over the years since 1962 when Scott Christian University was founded, some graduating classes have found themselves learning in relatively easy times, others have graduated in times of extraordinary difficulty, during periods of economic hardships. The same has been for teaching faculty who have displayed special and unselfish kinds of sacrifice to work for this great University instead of going out to find well paid jobs. I attribute this to the love of the students we have and to the institution.Today we are in, not the worst, but also perhaps, not the very best, of times. We face our own share of challenges as a university and we know that tomorrow will be better than today. The University is in the process of making strides in research through publishing in the Africa Journal of Evangelical Theology (AJET) and call upon scholars to publish with Scott Christian University.

As you graduate now, in 2019, you have the opportunity to do your part, to help create a better future for your families, a better future for your communities, and, a better future for your country.

Your today’s achievement is a big lifetime investment. Big and significant achievements are usually not made by individuals on their own but are made by people working together. Those who love football know that teamwork is everything to win a goal, as so is your university credential today. You have collaborators, friends, and family. They may have given you courage when you were facing fears, paid your fees or taught and examined you. So, I acknowledge, and thank those who are with you today, – your supporters, friends, families, and also my colleagues sharing this platform with me, all of whom have played some part in helping you to be here today celebrating your achievement.

Graduands, we have endeavored to bring you on an academic journey of experiences which help you to grow and transform. The whole University celebrates with you. We are proud of your achievements. But there is much more to do, and today marks a new beginning. In conclusion, I call each of you to action, to go out from there, with confidence, with our blessings and best wishes, and work actively towards living a good and generous life, serving God in all you find to do.

Going forward, I wish to inform you of our plans as a university. Scott Christian University has two campuses, Machakos where we are today and Konza Campus which is under development. Our plan in line with our strategic plan of 2018-2022, is to develop Konza campus and expand our programs to align them with the needs of the city in terms manpower – for example engineering, technology, and hotel and tourism industry. This we wish to work collaboratively with the Government of Machakos, moving quickly and attaining Maendeleo Chap Chap, that is characteristic of our humble and focused Governor, His Excellency Dr. Alfred Mutua. Konza Campus is located at Kalanzoni, in the jurisdiction of His Excellency, the Governor of Makueni Prof. Kivutha Kibwana. With His successful professional career as an educationist and a politician, as a university, we feel we cannot go far without His Excellency Prof. Kivutha Kibwana. It is our wish as a university to support the vision of our vibrant Governors to offer to the people of Machakos the education and services they want. The University governance is here today, the Chancellor Rev. Dr. Silas Yego, the Board of Trustees Chairman Prof. James Tuitoek and Board members, the University Council Chairman Dr. Joe Muchekehu and members, the university Senate and Management, the student community and Church is ready to work with you, your Excellency Dr. Alfred Mutua and you’re his Excellency Prof. Kivutha Kibwana to make Scott Christian University the leading center of academic excellence in the Eastern region. With your help and God, we know this is possible.

God Bless Scott Christian University, Your Dynamic Centre of Academic Excellence and The Place to Be!